531 South Main, Earnestine & Hazels

The Digital Archive of the Memphis Public Library & Information Center

Source: Chandler Reports

Russell George

A church, complete with doors, a steeple, and people, once occupied this site in the late 1800s. When it burned down, Pantaze Drugstore was built here. In the late 1950s, Earnestine Mitchell and Hazel Jones opened their sundry store and it was well known that you could buy liquor or go to the upstairs brothel where rooms upstairs rented by the hour.

After being abandoned for years, in 1992 the late Russell George re-opened Earnestine & Hazel's, this time officially as a juke joint. To George's credit, he left everything exactly as it was - peeling paint and all.

Beware! Ghosts are said to haunt this South Main site. Even creepier, the jukebox will read your mind and play songs to match your thoughts.